Rugby World Cup 2023: All Blacks and South Africa prove southern rugby still wins

Everyone predicted a northern hemisphere domination of the 2023 Rugby World Cup, but as JAMIE PANDARAM finds, the southern teams are emerging as the ones to beat despite Australia’s failure.

New Zealand players perform the haka ahead of the France 2023 Rugby World Cup quarter-final match between Ireland and New Zealand at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, on the outskirts of Paris, on October 14, 2023. (Photo by Anne-Christine POUJOULAT / AFP)

After the greatest round of quarter-finals in Rugby World Cup history, the southern hemisphere shattered the hype that this was to be the turning tide for the north.

Many pundits predicted 2023 to be the year no southern team made the semi-finals, with Ireland, France, Wales and England expected to herald a new power balance in world rugby.

But it was the same old story, as Argentina overcame Wales, New Zealand pipped Ireland and South Africa outlasted the hosts, France.

Winger Mark Telea returns for the All Blacks.

Only England survived, with a six-point late win over Fiji, but they’ll be lucky to go further.

The Rugby World Cup remains the southern hemisphere’s tournament.

The All Blacks and Springboks have won the past five between them, and will likely battle it out in the final this year.

England is the only northern nation to have held the William Webb Ellis trophy – in 2003 courtesy of that Jonny Wilkinson drop goal – but it is a major surprise that they’re the only ones left this time.

Because while the rugby talent being produced down south remains elite, the financial power is up north.

The European club competitions now dwarf Super Rugby in salary, household names and systems funding. It’s why France and Ireland were able to rise to the No. 1 world ranking prior to the World Cup.

And when France defeated New Zealand, and Ireland disposed of South Africa, and England defeated Argentina in the pool stages, the shift of power seemed solidified.

But the southerners proved malleable, resolute and capable of adjustment in a superior manner.

The All Blacks, defeated 2-1 by Ireland in a series held in New Zealand last year, worked out how to defend their pod attack system and secure their breakdown.

They dropped star winger Mark Telea for a disciplinary breach last week, but have restored him to the starting line-up for this semi-final against the Pumas and he, along with fellow speedster Will Jordan, will be their biggest threats.

Argentina, with head coach Michael Cheika and defence coach David Kidwell, have defied expectations and were brilliant at the set-piece against Wales.

But the Kiwis are showing a new-found patience and clear-headedness in their game, and this is their game to lose.

Will Jordan is a major threat for the All Blacks.

Mystifyingly, England remains the only unbeaten team left in the tournament.

But their form has been lumbering for the most part.

They barely escaped with an 18-17 pool match win against Samoa, then enjoyed the 50-50 calls in their 30-24 quarter-final victory against Fiji.

They’d lost to Fiji a fortnight before the World Cup.

But as this tournament has taught us over and over, it’s not the manner in which you play, it’s getting the job done when it counts.

England, who were trending downwards under Eddie Jones before the RFU sacked him late last year, have reached the final four against the odds under new coach Steve Borthwick.

They barely make the highlight reels in any category, but their simple rugby has been effective thus far.

And they have the talent to make South Africa deeply uncomfortable.

This will be a kicking and ruck duel for the ages.

England’s kicking game has been pinpoint as Owen Farrell has given his team the territorial advantage, while scrumhalf Alex Mitchell’s box kicks are strongly contested by Jonny May and others.

Their big weakness is pace on the edges, and this is where the Springboks will look to burn them with the sheer lightning speed of Cheslin Kolbe and Kurt-Lee Arendse.

South Africa's wing Cheslin Kolbe runs in for a try.

The fact England is still here also brings home what a wasted chance this was for the Wallabies.

Had they mounted a serious campaign, they could have beaten Argentina or England in a quarter-final to make the final four.

South Africa has again opted to start Manie Libbok at five-eighth, with Handre Pollard off the bench, which says they’ll run the ball in the first half.

The Boks were superb against France in their 29-28 quarter-final victory, with ball in hand and on counter-attack in the first half, and then clever subbing in the second to keep the tempo of the game at a level few teams could sustain.

No doubt, the officials will be paying closer attention to how the Boks use their subs and any player requiring a head injury assessment, after they faced criticism for gamesmanship when Pieter-Steph du Toit and Duane Vermeulen both had HIAs in the second half and then returned to the field against France.

These two teams played the 2019 decider, which the Boks comfortable won 32-12 in Japan.

Revenge will be motivating England, but the ruthless bloody-mindedness of the Boks’ approach is proven to work time and again.

JAMIE PANDARAM’S TIPS

New Zealand by 10

South Africa by 14

Originally published as Rugby World Cup 2023: All Blacks and South Africa prove southern rugby still wins